The need for portable lighting is well known, and the uses for a portable light are unlimited. Whether an activity is active or passive, when low lighting conditions exist, the need for portable lighting can increase the safety of any activity.
While most portable lighting devices rely upon a battery source for power, portability may become a disadvantage during use. In many instances, the use of the portable lighting device is best accomplished when the light is held stationary. For example, a portable light could be used to illuminate a boat dock on a temporary basis, or in instances where the use of alternating current is difficult. Should a dock be used for entertainment, the safety of individuals on the dock is increased by outlining the dock edges. In this example, the securement of a conventional light, such as a flashlight or lantern may not be practical. Unless a light is properly secured, the light could be moved by wind, wave, or accidentally dropped into the water by an individual walking along the dock.
Portable lighting devices are even more prone for movement when placed on an actively moving object. For instance, a boat would benefit from a portable lighting device that can be held in a fixed position. In such an instance, a lighting device may be necessary to illuminate a walkway, cockpit, side rail or the like, wherein the movement of the boat would make it impractical to simply lay a lantern or flashlight near the source when lighting is necessary and hope that the lighting source would remain stationary. If a portable light is not properly secured, the portable light can actually become a hazard to the individuals using the boat should it fall beneath their feet.
While it would be possible to strap a lantern to a passive or actively moving object, the adaptation of the lighting device to a fixed object may be unsightly, be easy to uninstall if the securement mechanism is in view of the public, and securement may require a tying skill particular to an individual. For instance, if a lantern is secured to a boat vessel by a line, the skill of the individual tying the line knot would determine whether or not the lighting object would remain stationary. The use of flexible cords, such as rubber bands and elastic cord, provides yet another option, but the securement method would be open for the public to tamper with.
Thus, while there are an infinite amount of examples to illustrate the benefit of a portable light being secured to a fixed object, what is lacking in the art is a portable light capable of securement to a fixed object wherein the attachment mechanism allows adaptation to most any size object, and the attachment mechanism is concealed from view to inhibit accidental detachment.